Improvement in car-couplings



A. KIMBER.

Cal -Couplings.

Patented Aug. 25,1574.

WITNESSES ATTORN EYS THE GRAPHIC C(LPNOTO 'LlTNJ9l4-l PARK FLACE.N-Y-

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIOE.

ABRAHAM KIMBER, OF MUNOIE, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR COUPLlNGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 154,491, dated August 25, 1874 application filed June 6, 1874.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, ABRAHAM KIMBER, of Muncie, in the county of Delaware and State of Indiana, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Coupling-Links; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawing is a representation of a plan view of my car-coupling, and Figs. 2 and 3 areside views. Fig. 4 is a view of my coupling-link.

This invention has relation to coupling-links which are especially adapted to be used in connection with the draw-bars, for which Letters Patent were issued to me bearing date on the 17th day of February, 1874, and numbered 147,651; and it consists in a link of oblongform, which is provided with a sliding tie-bar, whereby said link is adapted to vibrate on one of its ends downwardly under the draw-head, when not required for coupling, and whereby cars, when coupled may be brought into close contact without injuring or breaking said link,in combination with draw-bars having an elevated knob provided with a transverse notch to holdthe tiebar of the link, and a depressed sl1oulder in rear of the knob, to keep the link elevated and steady.

In the annexed drawings, A designates a coupling-pin, having its ends rounded or of prismatic form, and having its longer sides parallel the one to the other for a portion of their length. B designates a tie-bar, which is applied'to the couplinglink in such manner that it shall slidefreely upon the parallel parts, which I have designated by the letter a, in a direct-ion perpendicular to its longer axis. G G are two draw bars having knobs 0 constructed, upon their upper anterior surfaces. The rear surfaces of these knobs are curved, and are grooved at their point of union with the body of the draw-bar, to conform to the contour of the inner surface of coupling-link A. D is a depression upon the upper surface of the draw-head, having a shoulder, d, at its inner end. 0 is a transverse notch constructed upon the upper anterior surface of the knob c, which is adapted to receive the tie-bar B of the link A.

When it is desired to couple two cars, the end of link A is engaged with the shoulder 01 of depressionl and, its outer end being raised, the tie-bar B is placed in the notch 0 as shown in Fig. 2. The cars are then brought in contact, when any jar, however slight, will cause a disengagement of the tie-bar B from the notch c and the rounded end of the link to fall over the knob c of the opposite draw-bar, and a coupling will be effected, as seen in Fig. 1. When a train is backed the draw-heads of cars will be brought in close contact, the link being in no danger of injury from jammingms the distance between the shoulders 01 of contacting draw-bars is always a little greater than the length of the link. Two cars having been uncoupled and separated, and one end of the link being left over the knob c, thelink A, owing to the gravitation of the tie-bar B, will assume a position under the draw-head at right angles to its former position. being out of the way, as shown in Fig. 3, of all injury from any shock which might then occur.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- The combination, with the draw-bar O, having the elevated transverse notch c and depressed shoulder d, of the coupling-link A, having the tie-bar B loosely applied to it to slide in the direction of the length of the link, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

ABRAHAM KIMBER.

Witnesses GEORGE E. UPHAM, J M. ABRAMS. 

